Accountability

MetroHealth Nurse-Family Partnership Awarded $600K

The MetroHealth Nurse-Family Partnership been awarded $600,000 in federal funding to provide home visiting services to pregnant women and parents with young children in Cuyahoga County who are at risk for poor birth or developmental outcomes.

The funding was awarded by the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) from a nearly $7 million federal grant received from the Maternal, Infant, and Early Childhood Home Visiting Program administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration. This grant funding serves as a key strategy to target communities with high rates of infant mortality, poor birth and child developmental outcomes, high occurrences of teen pregnancy, and families living in poverty.

Part of Ohio’s Help Me Grow system of supports for ages 0-3 years, the home visiting program is administered by ODH, and services are provided locally through a statewide network of local implementing agencies.

MetroHealth’s Nurse-Family Partnership was established in 2015, and this is the third year the program has received the federal funding.

The Nurse-Family Partnership is an evidence-based nurse home visitation program to improve pregnancy outcomes, child health and development, and self-sufficiency for eligible, first-time parents. The program pairs mothers with trained nurses who counsel each mother throughout the pregnancy and until her child's second birthday. The nurses visit the mothers frequently in their homes and offer guidance on everything from nutrition during pregnancy to breastfeeding to caring for a newborn and child development. The nurses connect mothers to social supports and community resources, and provide mentoring. The focus is on raising children who are physically, socially and emotionally healthy and ready to learn.

“Research shows that evidenced-based home visiting improves birth outcomes and can help reduce infant mortality,” said ODH Director Lance Himes. “These home visits also help improve maternal and child health, prevent child abuse and neglect, and connect families with needed supports and resources in their communities.”